January Sheep and Goat Survey - Backgrounder

NASS Programs

2014 Sheep and Goats Survey

About the Survey

How NASS Collects Data?

Who Uses The Information?

USDA’s National Agricultural
Statistics Service (NASS) conducts
the Sheep and Goats Inventory
Survey every January to collect
information on inventories, as
well as number of lambs and kids
born during the previous year.
NASS will publish the results of
the survey on January 31, 2014,
in the Sheep and Goats report.

NASS will conduct the Sheep
and Goats Survey in every state
except Alaska. In late December,
NASS will mail the survey to
23,000 sheep and goat operators.

Sheep and goat producers,
agribusinesses, and policymakers
use data from the sheep and
goats surveys as a critical
decision-making tool. For
instance:

The survey results help the
industry be more responsive
to domestic and international
markets and consumer needs.
The accurate, good-quality
data also help create public
appreciation for the benefits of
U.S. sheep and goats and their
products.
All previous Sheep and Goats
reports are available online at:
http://bit.ly/NASS_Sheep_Goats.

Response Confidentiality
All information NASS collects in
this survey will be kept strictly
confidential, as required by
federal law. The results of this
survey will be available in
aggregate form only, without
revealing any information that
may identify individual
operations.

The survey asks producers to
provide information about their
sheep and goat inventories,
counts of lambs and kids born
during 2013, and production
and prices received for wool and
mohair.
Producers who receive the survey
may respond in either of the
following ways:
• Online – Secure, online
reporting is the most timely,
cost-effective option.
The cover letter includes
instructions for this easy
option.
• By mail – Producers fill out
the survey questionnaire
and return it in the envelope
provided.

• Producers use the information
to determine production and
marketing strategies and to
plan purchases and capital
investments.
• Suppliers, packers and
government agencies use the
sheep and goats inventory
estimates to evaluate the
expected slaughter volume
for future months and to
determine potential supplies
for export.
• USDA and producer
organizations can better
prepare and plan for crisis
situations such as disease
outbreaks with accurate
inventory and production
data.

A NASS representative will
contact producers who do not
respond to offer the option of a
telephone or personal interview.

United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service

www.nass.usda.gov